This Is Our Story
Shelly Poole and Paul Statham are multi platinum award winning songwriters with an established record of curating and running globally renowned songwriting retreats.
"We love to share our passion and commitment to the art of songwriting in all its forms from the avant garde to contemporary pop.
We will write in small focused groups with varied themes from nature as narrative to pop hooks via dark murder ballads!
We are looking forward to being a part of your musical journey."
Songwriting is like a safe haven for your thoughts and feelings, a place where you can put your heart into words and melodies. It's a way to let out emotions that might be otherwise hard to express . When you write it’s therapeutic , you can find clarity in the chaos . The process of creating something beautiful out of your thoughts can be incredibly empowering, boosting your confidence and reminding you of your uniqueness. In those moments, it's just you and the music, a form of self-care that's both freeing and healing.
Why Collaborate
When songwriters collaborate, they bring diverse strengths to table, pushing each other to reach new heights. It’s the back-and-forth, the give-and-take, that sparks innovation and makes you challenge your default . It also means lyricists with less musical knowledge , melody writers with little production technique , or producers with no songs can get their work across the line .
With combined sales of over 40 million albums and 100's of millions streams Shelly and Paul are committed to curating creative and inclusive workshops and retreats and will be involved in the journey of the song from its inception to its initial performance!
Testimonials
The face to face bootcamp with Shelly and Paul last September, changed everything for me.
Collaborating in the same room, being heard and having ideas that made the final song was great. But watching and listening at how they individually come up with the magic was amazing to experience and be part of.
That week raised my bar and my standards … and I’ll never be the same again.
Carol Whitworth
Before you even notice, Paul & Shelly get under the skin of your song, and with a few choice observations, lift it in to the stratosphere. I wouldn't do songwriting retreats with anyone else: they're world-class, fabulous and fun.
Graham McGregor-Smith
Such a privilege to be part of the SPPS writing workshops. I got to meet more of my tribe and write new amazing songs. The theme of using prose as a starting point was inspirational and enabled me to write in a completely different way
Jos McLaren
Despite writing songs for 30+ years, I struggled with the confidence to call myself a songwriter! That all changed when I attended a weekend of songwriting with Shelly & Paul! They are amazing songwriters but, more importantly, they are warm, compassionate and supportive human beings!
They created a safe and secure space for a group of people who didn’t really know each other to confidently bare their souls and be creative - no judgement just 100% pure, unadulterated support!
But I don’t want to give the impression that it was an easy ride! They also challenged every participant to be the best they could be!
I would wholeheartedly recommend any of the events they run - I’ll be attending as many as I can! See you there!
Rob Wright
You need to do SPPS Songwriting workshops and retreats.
I’ve done various songwriting courses and retreats to learn the art of songwriting and they’ve all been great. SPPS offer the next step in the process. They take you deeper into the songwriting process. The emphasis is on the co-writing and they offer different ways of thinking about how to write a song, subject matter and inspiration.
The rapport between Paul and Shelly is great and they create such a friendly environment They have a vast wealth of knowledge which they are happy to share with everyone. Their positivity and encouragement can’t help but fill you with confidence.
I can’t wait for the next one :)
Mike Wheeler
“Not all those who wander are lost.”
J.R.R. Tolkien